Sparky

The Life and Art of Charles Schulz

As the artist behind the belovedPeanuts comic strip for more than 50 years, Charles Schulzarguably the most famous cartoonist in the worldcreated a colorful cast of characters that continues to bring humor and comfort to millions of readers. In this distinctively designed yet highly accessible book, renowned children's biographer Beverly Gherman traces both the life events that shaped Schulz's art and the various ways in which art influenced his life in return. Acclaimed by artists ranging from Andrew Wyeth to Mo Willems, the artistic elements of Schulz's work are brought to life in a colorful layout and thoroughly explored in an enchanting text that will draw in even the most reluctant readers.

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Peanuts was one of (if not the) first comic strips I ever read, and I can still vaguely recall the time when I was little when I took out a Peanuts book from the library and me and my Dad later spent time reading it together, "Snoopy and his Sopwith Camel." Even though I have since read a lot of comic strips, Peanuts is still the best.
Anyway, onto this book. First, it is an incredibly easy read (I read through it just this evening), and would be great for kids. Second, it touches on all the major points of Sparky's life and work, painting a convincing portrait of a life filled with both triumph and loss. however, it only touches on aspects of Sparky's life and work, giving a very broad overview of his biography. Therefore, older readers curious for more about the life and times of Charles M. Schulz will have to look elsewhere as well. Thankfully, Gherman lists some good resources in the bibliography. Though like I said, for kids, this is an excellent book.